Addis Ababa University (AAU), which was established in 1950 as the University College of Addis Ababa (UCAA), is the oldest and the largest higher learning and research institution in Ethiopia. Since its inception, the University has been the leading center in teaching-learning, research and community services.
At present the University has 10 colleges, 4 institutes that run both teaching and research, and 6 research institutes that predominantly conduct research. Within these academic units, there are 55 departments, 12 centers, 12 schools, and 2 teaching hospitals.
Taking into account the reform in the University, coupled with the responsibility entrusted to the institution by the Government, AAU has recently welcomed a new vision of becoming a pre-eminent research university in Africa. As a result, research has been given a new organizational platform under a new direction and new set of policy framework. The change at AAU underscores that research should proactively respond to the national demand of generating and disseminating new knowledge and technology, strengthening and developing the capacity of students in contemporary science and technology.
The main university library is the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library, which was opened in August 1969. It is located on the Main Campus (at Sidist Kilo). It primarily holds library materials on humanities and social sciences and serves almost all the University community and registered external users.
The mission of the ICT Directorate is to play a major enabling role in strengthening the operational missions of the University, namely learning-teaching, research and innovation, community engagements, institutional development and administrations.
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all students who are interested in participating in Extracurricular Activities and Sports are given a fair opportunity to do so. This policy is largely aimed at:
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 117 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 663 | 709 | 592 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By TopUniversities
Dropped 100 places compared to 2026
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 771 | 851 | 951 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 601 | 601 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Based on 100 reviews
I'm polling station worker at NEBE for 2026 and take very useful experience
Accomplished senior procurement and public administration professional with over twenty years of progressive experience in procurement, property administration, resource mobilization, and facility management across federal government institutions and internationally funded projects. Currently I am serving as General Director of Resource and Facility Administration at the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia, providing strategic leadership in budget management, procurement governance, asset administration, ICT infrastructure oversight, and legal research coordination.
My overall study experience at Addis Ababa University has been immensely rewarding and provided a strong academic foundation for understanding public administration and development. What I really liked was the opportunity to engage in in-depth, practical research on local government practices, supported by dedicated and knowledgeable academic advisors. The rigorous environment truly prepares students for both the professional world and international graduate studies. In terms of what can be improved, the administrative and registration processes need significant modernization. Navigating the university bureaucracy for official letters, exit exam coordination, or document authentication can be quite slow and frustrating. Additionally, the campus infrastructure and resources can sometimes feel strained by the large student body. Despite these administrative hurdles, the academic depth and vibrant campus community make AAU an excellent place to learn and grow.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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